It took almost two days but the Letterkenny Electoral Area election vote is over.
Two recounts and a lot of coffee later, all seven seats have now been filled.
Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly (FF) topped the poll and blew away the quota of 1,629 votes being elected on the first count.
Despite the Glenswilly man’s quick election, a trend of early elections was not to emerge.
It was late on Sunday night and on the 10th count that Gerry McMonagle of Sinn Fein and the 100% Redress Party candidate Tomás Seán Devine got over the line.
But hopes of a prompt selection were soon dashed when their distributed surplus was divided.
The new Letterkenny candidate Tomas Sean Devine 100% Redress.
Aontú candidate Mary T Sweeney complained that the margin was too tight and there then followed a long period of consultation.
After a recount was requested, Returning Officer Seamus Canning acceded to the request and adjourned the count until this morning.
After another several hours of counting, Ms Sweeney made up ground and went ahead of her rival Kevin Bradley (IND).
On the 12th count, Bradley was eliminated but he then spoke with Returning Officer Canning and requested a recount which was also granted and commenced at 6pm this evening.
That too lasted a number of hours before Mr Canning announced that after a recheck Kevin Bradley was eliminated.
The 13th count followed and that saw Ciaran Brogan (FF) and Jimmy Kavanagh (FG) reach the quota and were deemed elected.
On the 14th count, although they did not reach the quota, the next two highest candidates, Michael McBride (IND) and Donal Coyle (FF) were deemed elected making up the full seven seats in Letterkenny.
Selina O’Donnell (IND) and Vincent Bradley (IND) were eliminated in the second count and Green Party candidate Nuala Carr was taken out in the third.
Anne McCloskey (Irish People) lost out in the fourth, followed by Labour’s Michael McLaughlin in the fifth.
The distributed votes of Ulick Hughes (SF) boosted Sandra Haughey and Gerry McMonagle. Thoiba Ahmed (IND) fell out of the race in the seventh count with 544 total votes.
Independent Declan Jordan was out in the eighth count followed by Sinn Féin’s Sandra Haughey, Independent Kevin Bradley Aontú’s Mary T Sweeney.
